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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 1:1. E. CRAWFORD 8v R. C. LAMBERT.

MECHANISM POR PROPELLING VEHICLES.

No. 444,130. Patented Ja.11.6, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY F. ORAI/VFORD AND RICHARD C. LAMBERT, OF BROCKTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS; SAID LAMBERT ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD OF HIS INTEREST TO SAID CRAWFORD.

MECHANISM FOR PROPELLING VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,130, dated January 6, 1891. Application iiled June 23, 1890. Serial No. 356,316. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that we, HARVEY F. CRAWFORD and RICHARD C. LAMBERT, of Brockton, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Vehicles and Means for Propelling the Same, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings repreio senting like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel vehicle and means for propelling the same, whereby greater power may be exerted by the operator.

In accordance with this invention the axle carrying the drive-wheels has formed upon it a crank which is turned by two pitmen connected to and driven by suitable pistons which are reciprocated in hyd raulic cylinders,

zo the water or other liquid being forced into the cylinders behind the pistons by plungers of small diameter actuated by a lever preferably operated by hand.

One part of ourinvention therefore consists 2 5 in the frame and the drive-axle having bearings therein and provided with a crank, combined with a cylinder having a piston to op` erate the said crank, a plunger for said cylinder, and mechanism to operate said plunger,

3o substantially as will be described.

Our invention also consists in certain novel features of construction embodied in the vehicle itself, to be 'hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l shows in side elevation and partial section a Vehicle embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the saine; Fig. 3, a vertical section taken on the dotted line oc, Fig. l; and Fig. 4, an enlarged de- 4o tai] to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, the frame A, of suitable shape, has bearings for the main drive shaft or axle a, on which are mounted at each end the drive-wheels b. The drive- 4 5 shaft dat its middle has formed in it the crank a, driven by the oppositely-extended pitmen a2 a3, connected at their outer ends to the pistons a4, fitted to move in the cylinders a5 a6, supported in suitable manner by the frame 5o at opposite sides of the axle, as shown. To

the opposite outer sides of the cylinders a5 a0 are connected pipes or tubes a7, preferably curved over above to face each other, as shown, to receive the plungers as at opposite ends of the reciprocating bar a9, shown as provided with a stud or pin am, which works in a Vertical slot al1 in the operating-lever a, shaped, as shown, to clear the axle a, and pivoted at its lower end at als between the two stays or braces @14, depending from and secured to the frame, the said lever at its upper end being provided with a suitable handleal.

The pipes a7, in which the plungers aswork, are supported by brace-rods ax, carried by the frame. The pipes al are filled with water or other liquidY through suitable openings at 15 provided for that purpose, so that when the bar a9, carrying the plungers as, is reciprocated by the operating-lever the water will be forced alternately into the cylinders a5 a6 7o behind their pistons to reciprocate them, and, acting through the pitmen a2, will turn the crank a and rotate the axle a to move the vehicle.

The frame A at opposite ends is provided with suitable sockets which receive the rotatable spindles b b2, formed at their lower ends to receive and carry the wheels b3 b4, one of the spindles, as b', being surrounded by a spiral spring 25, interposed between a shoulder on the said spindle and the end of the socket, in which it enters to allow the vehicle to yield to any irregularities in the road. The axles or journals of said wheels b3 b4 are extended out longitudinally and have swiveled to their outer ends the steering-rods b5 b, jointed at their inner ends to the ends of the bar 117, fast on the lower end of the vertical shaft bs, mounted in suitable supporting-rods Z7", carried by the frame, the said shaft at its 9o upper end being provided with a cross-bar Z110, carrying adjustably the foot-rests or sockets bu.

A seat s is supported, as shown, above the frame. 95

When the vehicle is in use, the operator is seated upon the seats, with his feet upon the rests the lever a13 being moved back and forth by the arms to reciprocate the plungers as and thereby operate the pistons a4 to turn roo the axle. The wheels b lf are turned in one or another' direction to guide the vehicle by turning the rests b with the feet, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 1t of thedrawings.

XVe do not desire to liinit our invention to the particular form and construction herein represented, as the saine may be varied Without departing from the scope ol this invention.

It will be seen that the propelling niechanism is adapted, with slight modifications7 to any other forni of vehicle as Well as the one shown, the power exerted upon the crank being greatly increased thereby.

\Ve claim- 1. The frame and the drive-axle having bearings therein and provided with a crank, combined with two cylinders having pistons to operate the said crank, plungers for said cylinders placed substantially in line, and mechanism to reciprocate the said plnngers in unison, substantially as described.

i. The traine A and the drive-axle having` bearings therein and provided with a crank, combined with a cylinder having a piston, a pitnian connecting said piston and crank, a plunger for said cylinder, and a lever to operate said plunger, substantially as described.

3. The frame A and drive-axle a, having bearings in said frame and provided with a crank, combined with the cylinders (1.5 d, pistons afl, pitinen ci? d3, plungers as, and the pivoted lever al@ to operate said plunger, substantially as described.

4. The ranie A, the driveaxle having bearings therein, and the wheels combined with the Wheels Z1 b1, rods lf 1f', bar D7, shaft bs, and cross-bar U0, to operate sulistantally as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our naines to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY F. CRAWFORD. RICHARD C. LAMBERT. litnesscs:

JAS. 1I. CHURCHILL, EMMA J. BENNETT. 

